When you volunteer with the American Red Cross, you’re supporting one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world and making a positive impact on your peers and in your community. You can also maximize your talent, learn new skills, improve your resume, and meet new people – all while making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
The American Red Cross has developed fun activity guides for you to use to help spread the word about the Red Cross and its mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Activity guides can be used by Red Cross Clubs, youth groups, or classes who want to organize around Red Cross mission-related activities. These activity guides will help you lead Red Cross activities. No matter what activity you choose, get in touch with your local Red Cross chapter or Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) station. The Red Cross can provide you with helpful resources and guidelines to make your activity a success!
Ways to Volunteer
Find volunteer opportunities in your local community.
We put together a list of ways a young people can volunteer with the Red Cross. Check out the menu of youth volunteer opportunities and see what sounds fun and exciting to you. No matter what volunteer opportunity you choose, you’ll need to sign up and work with your local Red Cross chapter, Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) station or Blood Region. Find your local Red Cross Unit.
Please note that some of the volunteer opportunities listed below may not be available in all areas. Contact a local Red Cross Unit to find out what opportunities are available in your area.
Blood Services
- Host a blood drive at your school
- Help recruit donors for an upcoming blood drive.
- Help arrange appointments for an upcoming blood drive.
- Volunteer to assist at a blood drive – act as a greeter or escort, or serve refreshments.
- Make thank you cards for blood donors to be given out at an upcoming blood drive.
- Organize blood drive competitions against other Red Cross Clubs or local schools.
Preparedness and Health & Safety
- Distribute information about preparedness to peers, teachers, and family at school and local community events.
- Get trained to become a community preparedness instructor and deliver presentations to younger students and your local community.
- Preparedness Week: Host a five-day campaign designed to motivate your peers to prepare in case of a disaster.
- Fire Safety Canvassing: Gather a group together to distribute lifesaving fire safety information, American Red Cross news and the youth brochure to residents of local neighborhoods and businesses.
- Prepare and Share Kit Drive: Organize a kit drive activity in which essential preparedness items are collected, assembled in a pack and delivered to those who need it most.
- Zombie Apocalypse Party: A zombie apocalypse party utilizes an impending ‘zombie apocalypse’ to help educate your school and community how to prepare for disasters like a zombie outbreak.
- Become a certified First Aid and CPR instructor and teach classes in your community (You must be at least 16 years old).
- Train your local community to be Be Red Cross Ready.
- Train elementary and middle school students in how to prepare for a disaster using the Red Cross Mobile Apps (First Aid App, Hurricane App, Earthquake App, Wildfire App).
Disaster Response
- Disaster Speaks is a powerful event that gives you the opportunity to personalize disaster. Large boxes represent homes lost and include stories about someone who has made the unthinkable journey through disaster.
- Help assemble comfort kits for families who have lost their home as a result of a disaster.
- Help clean and maintain the Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs).
- Take disaster training courses.
- Participate in a mock disaster exercise hosted by your chapter.
- Participate in a shelter exercise hosted by your chapter. Play the roles of disaster clients or Red Cross volunteers.
- Join a local chapter’s Disaster Action Team (DAT). (You must be at least 16 years old)
- Offer translator services in the event of a disaster.
International Services
- Raise funds for the Measles & Rubella Initiative.
- Host a RAID CROSS event. RAID CROSS is a series of “posts,” or stations, designed to increase understanding of the humanitarian issues involved in conflict situations. RAID CROSS stations include information on prisoners of war, obligations to tend all wounded, distinctions between civilian and military targets, distinctions between civilian and combatants, and humanitarian assistance.
- Host an international film festival featuring International Humanitarian Law (IHL) films or documentaries about related issues such as: on child soldiers, landmines, humanitarian response.
- Create a Refugee Simulation activity to raise awareness about life in a refugee camp. Participants will learn about food rationing, restoring family links, registration, and border crossing.
- Start an International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Action Campaign through peer education.
- Spread the word about Restoring Family Links services. Whether it’s reaching out to your refugee community directly or working with other clubs that have an international presence, outreach plays a vital role in helping people connect with their families.
- Sponsor an International Humanitarian Law (IHL) course on campus.
- Host a panel discussion with guest speakers to discuss International Humanitarian Law (IHL) or a specific IHL-related topic such as: child soldiers, landmines, torture, refugees.
Service to Armed Forces (SAF)
- Birthday Party for Veterans: Throw monthly birthday parties at a veteran’s hospital. (Activity Guide coming soon!)
- Totes of Hope: Collect personal care kit items, assemble in a backpack or tote bag, and distribute through veterans hospitals or veterans outreach programs for homeless veterans.
- Volunteer at a military or VA hospital. Serve as a greeter, work in a clinic, or assist patients in getting to their appointments.
- Serve as a youth media “correspondent” and write brief press releases for the installation paper.
- Host a bingo night at a veteran’s hospital.
- Make and distribute Valentines Day cards with tips on how to keep a healthy heart to veterans.
- Participate in a Weekend Walking Garden, a horticulture program on a cart that is moved between patient rooms. Push a cart of flowers, plants, portable “zen” gardens, and water fountains to patient’s rooms who are unable to go outside at a VA or Military hospital.
- Organize a monthly cookie drive and each weekend distribute cookies to patients, families, and staff at the VA or Military hospital.
- Attend a SAF webinar or training to better educate yourself and the community on military needs.
Fundraising
- Change for Change: a coin drive fundraising competition that engages your group with elementary school students to raise money for the American Red Cross.
- Helping Hands: a service-based event that allows community members to use your group to perform various outdoor tasks for a small fee.
More opportunities to explore with the Red Cross:
